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Improving Your Wood Play in Five Simple Steps

Hitting good shots with your woods (driver and fairway woods) is imperative to playing good golf because these long shots can set you up for the rest of the game. It does require some practice and effort to improve your wood play, but you will see the benefits of the time you put in when your scores start to drop. Take the five steps below with you to the driving range during your next practice session –

Sit into your posture. Good posture is key to hitting your woods properly, so work on getting in an athletic stance at address. Make sure your knees are flexed and your back is straight so you can make a proper swing from start to finish. If you stand with your legs straight at address, it will likely lead to a swing that is too upright – and probably a ball flight that slices weakly off line.

Quiet hands. Your hands don’t need to be particularly active during the takeaway portion of the swing. If they are, you could end up getting the club stuck behind you and there might not be enough time to catch back up. Complete the takeaway using your big muscles and only let your hands get involved when they have to.

Stay down. Standing up out of your posture is a common mistake that can ruin a driver or fairway wood swing. At the top of your backswing, make sure to maintain the flex in your knees while the club is changing directions and you start to move toward the target. This is an important step, and your swing can fall apart quickly if you miss on this portion.

Lead with your lower body. As the backswing finishes and the downswing begins, it is up to your lower body to lead the way. Make sure you start the downswing with your legs rotation toward the target and pulling the rest of your body into place. When done correctly, you will feel like your arms are just along for the ride.

Finish the swing. Don’t cut off your swing after you get down to impact – continue your rotation all the way through to a balanced finish position. By swinging all the way through, you will be maximizing your power potential and giving your swing good rhythm that will help you add consistency.